10 Places for the Best Poutine in Montréal

Montreal is the undisputed poutine capital of the world, and as such, you'll find much, much more than classic poutine served up in traditional Québécois casse-croûtes and 24-hour poutineries. In this city, you can dine on everything from breakfast poutine made with duck confit, a poached egg and hollandaise at the Arts Cafe, to gluttonous foie gras poutine at the pilgrimage-worthy Au Pied de Cochon. Read on for our picks of where to try the best variations, from traditional to outré.

Greenspot opened in the St.-Henri neighborhood in 1947 and still has its original decor, including tabletop jukeboxes, vinyl booths, and counter stools. It's a wonderful time warp—a beloved greasy spoon with decades of history and a great place to grab a bite with a really good friend. Try a classic poutine—there are more than two-dozen varieties on the menu, though—and wash it down with a soda pop or a cold beer.

Patati Patata is a French fry snack bar that delivers one of the tastiest poutines in the Plateau, as well as some great people-watching on the corner of Rachel Street and Saint-Laurent Boulevard, in the heart of all the action. Unlike other poutineries, Patati Patata uses skinny fries in its classic poutine, which is topped with cheese curds and vegetable gravy. The “Patatine” adds mushrooms, red peppers, and onion to the mix.

Founded in the Plateau in 1974 by Peter Varvaro, Main Deli is a no-frills joint that's famous for its top-tier smoked meat. Today, the kitchen still seasons, slow-cooks, and hot-smokes brisket according to Varvaro's original recipe. The restaurant uses this meat in its legendary smoked-meat poutine, an irresistible spin on the classic. Order it with a beer or a glass of wine, and you're in for a meal you can't get anywhere but here.

The Arts Café is a hip and welcoming little café in the Mile End that lives up to its name, with industrial bulbs, books, greenery, and wooden floors. The menu is vegetarian-friendly, but poutine aficionados will love their breakfast poutine, which comes complete with duck confit, poached egg, caramelized onion, russet potato, cheese curds, and Hollandaise sauce. That, plus a mimosa or a Bloody Caesar, and you've achieved the perfect start to the day.

Open 24 hours a day, Paulo & Suzanne is a 1950s-style diner located in Montreal's north-end Cartierville neighborhood. Whether you order takeaway or enjoy table service in the retro 1950s-style room or on the summer terrace, this is a great place to experience an old-school hit of classic Montreal. There's no booze, but a robust breakfast and poutine menu offers everything from meat-and-gravy Italian poutine to a "La Philly Bomb" poutine.

Chez Claudette, a tiny, homey snack bar in Montreal's Mile End neighborhood, has been serving classic poutine dishes since 1982. Popular with the midday lunch crowd, it's also open 24 hours from Thursday through Saturday nights (it closes at midnight the rest of the week), when late-night poutine lovers drop by for a fix after the bars close. For that reason, the clientele here varies from white-collar government workers enjoying a midday lunch to late-night partygoers, who come as much for the classic as well as its many variations (try the “bourguignonne” with beef and onions).

Ma Poule Mouillée, in the Plateau, is one of Montreal's most popular Portuguese chicken rotisseries—so popular, in fact, that there's often a line. While rotisserie chicken is a highlight here, folks also come from far and wide just for the poutine, which is made with fries topped with cheese curds, São Jorge cheese, chorizo and—of course—grilled chicken. Wash it down with a cold soda—there's no liquor license, but rest assured the food holds its own.

La Banquise is a classic diner in the Plateau—large, clean, and laid back. It's open 24/7 and has been renowned since 1968. There are burgers and breakfast options, but the real draw here is the poutine. The menu has something for everybody, from meat gravy to vegan sauce—in all, 30 different varieties. First-timers can't go wrong with a regular portion of "La Classique." La Banquise also has a large menu of local microbrews, including a house golden pilsner ale.

Celebrated chef Martin Picard has helped elevate poutine from Québécois casse-croûtes to a pilgrimage-worthy dish at his Plateau hotspot, Au Pied de Cochon (local foodies just call it, “Au Pied”). Revered for their gluttonous and inventive menu, and cited as one of the most influential restaurants in recent years, Au Pied’s high-end poutine is slathered with foie gras gravy and a chunk of foie gras on top.